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Toyota Prius MPG-Real World Numbers

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Comments

  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    Forget Real World Prius MPG numbers

    Let's forget this whole forum.

    Instead how about a new fourm called "Prius MPG Real World Numbers Compared to Ruking's Golf TDI unbeatable MPG numbers and Always Unbeatable Numbers?

    How's that for a new Forum Title?

    OK maybe not? ;)
  • bwilson4webbwilson4web Member Posts: 80
    One of the good things about the EPA mileage web site, www.fueleconomy.gov is the collected MPG by vehicles:

    40.2 MPG - 16 Jetta TDI owners, manual (2009 data)
    40.3 MPG - 24 Jetta TDI owners, automatic (2009 data)
    51.6 MPG - 46 Prius 2010 owners, automatic (2010 data)

    Statistically, we have enough user reports to have confidence in the reported values.

    Bob Wilson
  • deweydewey Member Posts: 5,251
    Yes those figures support a conclusion that is very self-evident.

    But not evident enough to indicate that if I drove a VW TDI my figures would be significantly lower due to me driving mainly in stop and go city traffic.

    While my Prius gets great mileage whether I drive in stop and go traffic or the highway. In otherwords with my Prius great mileage is not as dependent on what routes I travel on as with a VW TDI.
  • piasonpiason Member Posts: 55
    It seems that the increase cost of diesel fuel of 20 to 40 cents per gallon is not accounted for in the MPG calculation. So the TDI is a good deal lower than 40 MPG say around 35 MPG.

    TDI 35 MPG :(
    Prius 51 MPG :)
  • south4south4 Member Posts: 32
    does anyone know if the Droid will synch with the bluetooth on the 2008 Prius? Thanks!
  • dave10956dave10956 Member Posts: 2
    Bought a 2010 Prius II a month ago, have not been able to achieve any of these MPG numbers. First tank full got an actual 43 MPG blended highway and local (display showed 45.7), second tank not yet done but display shows 43.5. I drive with the ECO mode on. Feels like the car has no energy on very slight inclines so the engine is past the middle point and shuts off the eco mode.

    Is there any trick to maximizing the MPG? I get my worst MPG with all the stop and starting locally, but the sticker says I should be getting my best.

    any help would be greatly appreciated!

    thanks in advance
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Where do you live. Also what kind of gas? As in real gas or gas with 10% ethenal. I have noticed on my Fusion Hybrid that the mpg has taken a dump since all stations in my area of Mich. has switched to a winter blend. The ethenal based gas with get you a minimum of 10% decrease in mpg.
  • bwilson4webbwilson4web Member Posts: 80
    The first step is to compare your car's baseline performance to what others have gotten. Do you have a highway loop, like a fairly flat bypass, that you can drive at a constant, cruise control speed?

    Do one loop on cruise control to make sure the traffic supports that speed and which lanes to be in during the test. Then reset a trip meter, note the outside temperature, and see if you get any of these MPGs:

    60 mph -> 60 MPG
    65 mph -> 55 MPG
    70 mph -> 53 MPG
    75 mph -> 50 MPG

    This lets us determine if there is a problem with the vehicle and track improvements.

    Bob Wilson
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Is there any trick to maximizing the MPG? I get my worst MPG with all the stop and starting locally, but the sticker says I should be getting my best.

    In addition to Bob Wilson's very thorough suggestions you should also try to avoid all stop and go situations if possible!!

    For all petro-powered vehicle on the roads today stopping and starting is probably the worst situation to be in for fuel economy. 'City' driving will maximize your results as long as you don't have to come to a dead stop then have to overcome the intertia of being at rest. Keep rolling as much as possible.

    The second worst situation for fuel economy is short trips. Trips of less then 10 min are absolutely death on fuel economy. Again this is true for all ICE-powered vehicles, hybrids are primarily ICE-powered vehicles with an electro-mechanical assist.

    The third really really bad situation, again for all ICE-powered vehicles, is cold weather. Why? The ICE has to work overtime to warm up the fluids, the catalytic converter and YOU in the cabin. When the ICE has to work overtime it burns more fuel. Unfortunately there is no solution for this during the winter months if you live in a cold climate. Your fuel economy will fall into the mid-40's on a normal basis. Luckily there's spring, summer and fall where you should be well above 50 mpg.

    Try Bob's data-gathering tests and see what you find. Try to make sure that you're on the road for at least 15-30 min though. Longer is even better.
  • dave10956dave10956 Member Posts: 2
    thanks to those who posted. Will try Bob's suggestion
  • ron158ron158 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2008 Prius with 58,000 miles. In drive in the Northeast and up until two weeks ago I was averaging in the low 50 mpgs during the summer months and high 40 mpgs during the winter months. This year, however, starting about two weeks ago in early to mid December my mileage has steadily deteriorated, first to the mid 40's and now to the high 30's despite the fact that my driving habits have not changed. Has anyone had similar experiences and any suggestions?
  • prius2007prius2007 Member Posts: 41
    Hi Ron,
    Are you driving the same routes as before; did you have any service done on the vehicle?
    Gabe
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Stronger, nastier weather recently? ( -10% )
    New tires recently? ( -10% )

    I don't look at any fuel values for anything less than 5000 mile increments. The reason is that tank-to-tank measurements can have a lot of variation in them. Small variations in a small tank can be a large percentage.

    If you don't already keep a written record of your fuel usage I'd begin now for the next 5000 miles or so, just a suggestion.
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    Avoid short trips. The emissions system requires warm-up, which reduces intial efficiency.

    Check your tire pressure. Cold causes PSI to drop. Air naturally leaks out over time & miles.

    Don't forget that winter-formula fuel and the drier air will reduce efficiency no matter what you do.

    Block your grilles. For the Iconic model (04-09), seal the entire upper and half of the lower. For the 2010, seal the entire lower. Foam pipe insulation works great and is cheap & easy. Just squeeze a piece between each slot.

    Here's my real-world averages with the 2010 (so far, 12,905 miles)...

    55.0 = Jun
    52.8 = Jul
    53.1 = Aug
    53.6 = Sep
    48.0 = Oct
    51.0 = Nov
    44.6 = Dec

    Here's my real-world averages with the Iconic (118,185 miles)...

    43.2 = Jan
    43.6 = Feb
    45.9 = Mar
    47.0 = Apr
    50.7 = May
    52.2 = Jun
    51.6 = Jul
    51.2 = Aug
    50.7 = Sep
    48.2 = Oct
    47.1 = Nov
    44.4 = Dec

    Here's my real-world averages with the Classic (59,827 miles)...

    40.9 = Jan
    41.0 = Feb
    43.2 = Mar
    46.1 = Apr
    47.1 = May
    47.5 = Jun
    47.8 = Jul
    48.2 = Aug
    48.6 = Sep
    45.8 = Oct
    44.6 = Nov
    41.5 = Dec

    .
  • gt50mpggt50mpg Member Posts: 2
    John
    Are you saying block the grille for the winter weather or for all your driving?
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    "Winter" only for blocking. That's up to 50°F.
    .
  • ron158ron158 Member Posts: 2
    What do you suggest to be the most effective and safest way to block?
  • geezee1geezee1 Member Posts: 2
    I purchased a 2010 Prius in August of this year. At first I was thrilled getting 45 - 59 mpg. My best was 59. I noticed the mpg getting lower and lower, got an oil change and it went all the way down to 33mpg. The said they put the wrong weight synthetic oil and fixed the problem. The problem is I am stuck in the mid 30's and they told me that was normal for the northeast in the winter. I am fighting with them to check the car, there has to be something wrong. They want to charge me $150 for a diagnostic test. Does anyone have this same problem. I am at my wits end with Toyota.
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    If you drive nothing but extremely short trips with a cold engine, combined with all the other MPG lowering factors winter causes for *all* vehicles, mid 30's is fairly realistic.

    In other words, nothing is wrong... beyond the usual wrong oil, overfilled oil, and soft tires. You already caught the oil type problem, thicker will impair efficiency. Too much oil is a problem too, over the full mark will impair efficiency. Soft tires are always a problem for *all* vehicles, since air naturally leaks out over time and cold causes PSI to drop... both of which impair efficiency.

    Longer trips and warmer temperatures will contribute to much higher MPG.

    Switching back to summer-formula gas obviously will too.
    .
  • geezee1geezee1 Member Posts: 2
    I drive the same every day, mostly parkway, some stop and go, depending on traffic, always on cruise control on parkway. When I fill the car up (more often than I like) the mpg shoots up to over 50 and then falls back down to low 40's in about 1 hr, by the next day it is back to 35-37. When purchasing this car no one said anything about lower mileage in the winter months. My tires were filled with air a month ago, I'll do it again. I'm wondering now if it is the synthetic oil which they talked me into using.
  • sobsbocsobsboc Member Posts: 4
    Yep, low mpg in winter. I was in to the Mankato dealer a couple weeks ago getting my 2002 Prius serviced and drooling over the much roomier and more comfortable 2010 in the showroom. Then the service tech asked us if we'd ever driven a 2010, we said no. He asked what we get in our 2002 for winter mpg. We are on our second winter, last year it bottomed at 42mpg average with occasional instances of 37. This winter we experienced 20 below zero with it getting only 39mpg average on a good day. The service tech says "yep, our customers are onlly getting about 33mpg with the 2010's in this weather". I have to wonder if the sales personnel will be so honest if and when we are able to afford a new Prius. Thank goodness there are forums like this. Plus we intend if that day ever comes we would rent a new Prius to make sure we like it. Just think though if you had a non-hybrid which would probably average in the 20's in this cold winter. I once owned a 1991 Ford Escort which would get a solid 40mpg at 75mph, but in town in winter only 21mpg. I guess the best we can do for now with our Prius's is to buy and use block heaters and cover the grilles in winter.
  • vanderhorstgvanderhorstg Member Posts: 17
    I have a 2006 Prius. I had read/heard that it was not good to use biofuels (bioethanol) in a hybrid. The local biofuel station rep is telling me different. Any comments from users?
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    All cars suffer in wintertime. In addition to john's comments...

    In the northeast they use winter fuel which has less energy in it so to go the same distance you need more fuel. In addtion air is denser in cold weather so the vehicle has to work harder to plow it's way through. In addition roads are normally in worse condition in winter, slicker, so you often lose traction in tiny increments. In addition the ICE in all cars have to work overtime to keep you warm in winter whereas they don't have to work so much overtime in the other 3 seasons.

    All of these are additive also. You can't get away from it because it's simply physics. It applies to all vehicles. The difference is that in less efficient cars a 20% decline from 20 mpg is only 16 mph ( some may not even notice this 'tiny' difference ), whereas a 20% decline from 50 mpg is 40 mpg. THAT's noticable.

    There's a bright side to this tho.
  • john1701ajohn1701a Member Posts: 1,897
    >> I had read/heard that it was not good to use biofuels (bioethanol) in a hybrid.

    That's a new one. Are the greenwashers getting desperate?

    I've driven over 192,000 miles with Prius over the past 9.5 years using nothing but E10 the entire time. Never a ever hint of anything "not good" from that 10% ethanol blend.
    .
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    How accurate is the trip computer on your Prius? Mine 2007 just recently purchased,driving in this cold weather,is only 36MPG in mixed driving.It seems to be quite a bit better on the highway than in town,which is pretty contrary to the EPA ratings.
  • toyotagirl4utoyotagirl4u Member Posts: 4
    Hi, guess what? I have a 2005 Prius and I have the same GAS MILEAGE Problem!!! I believe that when the Triangle comes up with the snowflake in it (which means temp. is below 37 degrees) we use more gas. It was 14 degrees yesterday and I had to drive on snow packed ice for about 20 miles. Most of the time I was driving about 10 mph and up to 40 mph. My Prius got 33 mpg yesterday and boy was I upset! I was ready to go back to dealership but you brought up a statement about synthetic oil. I use Durablend 5W30W. I was told vehicle would run better and stay better lubricated. Did I goof? I am also stuck in the mid 30's...Also noticed the heater was still on yesterday even when I turned it off. Could I have a problem??? Do you have this problem?
  • toyotagirl4utoyotagirl4u Member Posts: 4
    I totally agree...I just posted a comment to someone else about the gas mileage! Does tick me off to think I bought the car for fuel economy! However, I do love my Prius! I'd like to tell you how great the Prius is...mine is a 2005... The day after Thanksgiving, I hit a Coyote on a major highway doing 78 mph! (I know! Dumb thing!) I hit him on the right front of my vehicle. Didn't have time to react so kept driving til I got to a gas station. When I got out, I almost fainted! Here I was dragging pieces of my grill, fog lights were gone...radiator and condenser were bent inward and radiator refill plastic container was dangling over one of my tires! Guez, Louise, when I got it to the repair shop, they said "mam, we don't know how you even drove it to us...one more bump and the radiator would have cracked!" Damage was over $4,000. If this had been any other small car, I hate to think what might would have happened!

    Only other complaint I have about it is it is too low to ground! I become an automatic snow plow if snow is more than 12 inches deep! Sure would like to put some BIG TIRES on this puppy! Wouldn't help the gas mileage either would it?
  • vanderhorstgvanderhorstg Member Posts: 17
    How about 85% bioethanol?
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    I don't think it is just the Prius as both our cars non Prius are suffering from less gas mileage than in the past. I have to wonder if there was any new laws or something passed that reformulated gas this year to a different blend than was had in the past.
  • mac98mac98 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2005 prius..Nothing was or is mentioned about cold weather decreases gas mileage..I live in PA and I can count on it dropping to 28-32 miles per gallon..The pruis would be great down south and no hills..then it may get the mileage Toyota claims...Also, Toyota sent me a letter about the floor mats in Nov...told me to take out the front mat and I will hear again from them...next year, 2 years..I like my pruis but never again.
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    I will never believe that is a floormat isssue,not in a million years.It's a problem with their software,or maybe with the cruise control.
  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    I doubt there is a car on the road that uses winter blend gas that doesn't suffer from less mpg in the winter. Look at it the other way, you are getting better than the other fellow that don't have a Prius.
  • winter2winter2 Member Posts: 1,801
    I know plenty of Prius owners who are disillusioned with their cars. Poor fuel economy, software issues, control issues on slippery surfaces. The Prius is a complicated, imperfect product that is proving itself to be a danger to those who drive it.

    If you really want to be so green, drive a diesel.
  • jmd08560jmd08560 Member Posts: 2
    I live in central NJ. I noticed that my 2009 Prius gas mileage went from about 50 in the fall to about 44 mpg in the winter. The car has been ok in the snow; it is not too different than my Honda Accord in the snow. I own 2 of them. My wife has still been getting 52 mpg even in the winter. I don't know how she does it.
  • scottc3scottc3 Member Posts: 137
    This is an amazing post.. by someone that wishes they owned a Prius. You take all the Prius cars on the road and I'd bet less than 1% don't like their cars. You compare it to any US made car, we have all owned over the years, and it's a much better built car. There is no need to justify that statement any more than had already been done.

    Keep the posts like this coming.. perhaps someone will listen.. but not me.

    Scott

    (Oh, I do admit that the US manufacturers / designers of new autos are getting much better.. and that's good for all of us)
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    I own a 2007 Prius package 2,and I like the car,but am very concerned with the stories about the crazy acceleration problems.Aren't you at least a bit concerned? :confuse:
  • vanderhorstgvanderhorstg Member Posts: 17
    I couldn't disagree with you more, "winter2"! I''ve owned my 2006 Prius since Feb 2006 (after waiting 2 months for her) and I absolutely LOVE it!!!
  • winter2winter2 Member Posts: 1,801
    I would not wish a Prius or any hybrid on anyone. I drive a Jeep Liberty CRD which has been exceedingly reliable and economical. I test drove a new Prius in 2005 and every time the drive train transitioned to gas power, I thought I would get whiplash. The car was noisy and lacked the power to climb long hills or get onto busy highways safely.

    I also evaluated the Highlander hybrid and found it just as unsatisfactory as the Prius and far more expensive than my Jeep.
  • avucarguyavucarguy Member Posts: 56
    Where do you get your info winter2. I have an 07 Prius with 62K+ miles and I am very happy with it. No brakes or electronic issues. The only thing I ever replaced on this car are the tires + routine oil changes. Last I checked, the Liberty CRD is about 3mpg better than the 3.7L gas liberty. The regular gas Liberty that I have driven were noisy also, but does have better pick up than the Prius. I have owned several Toyotas in the past and have been very happy with them.
    As for reliability, my cousin had to replace the transmission twice on his 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee now at 130K miles. Chrysler makes more problematic vehicles than most other manufacturers.
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    If you don't own a Prius and even hate it,why are you here? Just wondering.I have a 2007 Prius and while all the recent problems concern me,the car drives great and I hardly get whiplash when switching to the gas mode.It also has plenty enough acceleration to get on the interstates.
    I also own a KIA Optima, which is more comfortable,but nobody buys a Prius for it's comfort.It's for economy.
  • scottc3scottc3 Member Posts: 137
    My 2008 Prius is great too.. don't let the 'I wish I had a Prius" people bother you. We know what we have, and it's a great car, MANY cars have problems - how many manufacturer's would have stepped up to the plate and done a recall? I had a 2002 BMW - transmission problems all over the web - no recall, no admitting there was a problem by BMW - I was pissed. I was told to get the car fixed at my expense and if a recall was to ever happen, save the receipts and it MAY get reimbursed, There are 100s of stories like this.

    I'd buy another Prius in a second!

    Scott
  • winter2winter2 Member Posts: 1,801
    What Toyota has nearly managed to do is pull off a "John Edwards" and nearly get away with it. They bullied NTSHA into saying that there was no problem when there really was. Now Toyota is giving us the 2010 Prius with a braking issue (software) that endangers the driver as well as those around that person. Toyota is a company that is run by liars.

    If you think feel the Prius is so wonderful look at these sites:

    http://www.mycarstats.com/reports/Toyota/Prius/recalls.aspx

    http://www.autorecalls.us/aut-02/recalls/toyota/prius/index.html

    http://www.automotive.com/used-cars/recalls/11/toyota/prius/index.html

    http://www.ohiolemonlaw.com/safety-recall-16.shtml

    http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2010-02-08-toyota08_ST_N.htm

    http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/daily-news/100208-Questions-abo- ut-Toyota-s-Response-to-Complaints-Continue/
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    I'm not defending corporate Toyota.I am just wondering what brings you here to bad mouth a car you don't even own.Surely there must be a site for whatever you happen to own.To me that makes you a troll.
  • winter2winter2 Member Posts: 1,801
    Frankly, the truth is that the Prius is Toyota's "Corvair", unsafe and everytime I see one near me I cringe.

    You are right, I do not own one and I would not own one.

    If I am a troll then at least I am not a blind troll.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    This discussion is about Prius mileage, not the recalls or brake issues. If you want to discuss those issues, we have a dedicated diiscussion to do so in. Please follow that link to continue there.
  • northernlivingnorthernliving Member Posts: 6
    I drove several hybrids before purchasing my Jetta TDI manual 6 speed sedan. I don’t think you can compare the two. The real world Jetta TDI mileage is 45-55mpg, not the 30/40 that is on the sticker. Conversely, the Prius owners seldom get the rated mpg. The TDI has the world record for driving in all 48 lower states in an average 68mpg. It’s sporty and fun to drive, and TDI’s have been the greenest of them all for the past two years. Prius has about 30 lbs of rare earth material and is NOT GREEN!!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Road & Track did a fuel economy test of a 2010 Prius in SoCal recently, published in its March issue. They tested the Prius in 9 different scenarios, of the type you would see if you live in a large urban area like L.A. (but also drive outside of it). The FE ranged from a low of 40.8 mpg in the "canyon carving" scenario (two-lane roads in twisty hills) to a high of 66.7 mpg in the "suburban sprawl" scenario (Long Beach to LAX). In every test but the "canyon carving", the Prius topped 50 mpg. The overall average for all tests, over 336 miles, was 54.5 mpg. The article pointed out that the drivers used a "enthusiastic yet fuel-cognizant pace--no dicing, no hypermiling, no 'pulse and coast', no extreme skip-shifting. They also agreed they would have fun on the trip. :)

    I think this test shows it's very possible to get mid-50s mpg in a 2010 Prius in tough real-world conditions, such as those experienced by most drivers everyday. Not just easy cruising on a rural highway or freeway, or not just stop-and-go urban driving that favors the Prius' electric mode, but a realistic mix of driving situations.

    P.S. The Prius was compared directly to two other cars in this test: a 2011 Fiesta stick, and a 2010 Golf TDI stick. The Fiesta averaged 40.3 mpg (range 32.2 to 46.8), and the TDI averaged 42.7 mpg (range 30.9 to 53.5).

    http://www.roadandtrack.com/special_feature/hybrid-reality
  • kcbcarmichaelkcbcarmichael Member Posts: 5
    I think temperature is a key component in the Prius's MPG (and really in all vehicles). I bought mine in October and got 50 MPG while the temp was above 50 degrees, but since then I've gotten 37 - 44. The short trips are the worst - the engine has to run to warm up the hybrid battery and the heater core. You know what though? Don't care. It's still awesome and I'm sure I'll get better numbers when it warms up.
  • mickeyrommickeyrom Member Posts: 936
    I get 45 or more on the highway on my 2007 Prius and maybe 30 or less in town.This is a car seriously lacking in comfort on a long trip,but full of electronic gadgets.As I see it,it's only advantage is the fuel economy.It was my wife's idea to get it, and I regret that she talked me into it.She on the other hand,loves it.
    I like my KIA much better. :sick:
    P.S.We just bought it last month,so it is cold.Maybe the mileage in town will improve in the spring.
  • avucarguyavucarguy Member Posts: 56
    Your MPG will drop in the winter. My average MPG is about 44 in the winter and about 47 in the spring/summer/fall when out side temp > 50F. The worse MPG I ever received per tankful is 39mpg in the winter. The Prius drives like an economy car, but I realized I bought the car for it's great MPG not it's "luxurious" ride. My car's mileage dropped about 1 - 2 MPG since I put better tires on it over 30K miles ago, much better than the low rolling resistance tires that it came with. I would buy another Prius in a second without hesitation. I do not have 1 single problem with my Prius after almost 63K miles. I would also buy a diesel car from Toyota/Honda or Subaru if they ever sell them in this country, but not Volkswagen(poor reliability). I did test drive the 09 VW Jetta TDI and it rode way better than the Prius and have a nicer interior than my 07 Prius. But I cannot get over VW's poor reliability.
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